St. Paul daily globe., 1887-09-05
DEADHEADINGs AS AN ART.
Joseph Keppier Says that He Has
Travelled Over 10000 Miles on
Railroads Without Paving.

Railroads Without Paying.
San Francisco Chronicle.
Joseph Keppler, who halls from Chi
cago and lays claim to the title of
champion deadhead, is now the city.
He has made deadheading a science
and boasts of having travelled over 49,
600 miles on railroads without paying
cent of fare.
Keppler stood in front of Third
street saloon yesterday, chewing the
barren end of match, when a reporter
engaged him in conversation.
''How did come here?'' he said in
answer to question. son the cars, of
course; and as if anticipating the next
query, he added: without paying
cent either. I've deadheaded it all over
this country. Been from Maine to San
Francisco four times in as many years.
No, don't always get through as quick
as pay passenger, but l get there Just
the same. I've had some rough expert
ences. Been put off in snow and ice,
where there wasn't house around for
miles, but l caught on again. You see,
many of these railroaderS know me and
many times they've made me jump from
train without Stacking 'er up.
The most thrilling experience ever
railroad going between JOhnstown and
Altoona over the mountains. | boarded
her at JohnStown, and as bad luck would
have it the conductor Spied ME on the
platform before we'd gone many miles.
You see, sometimes the conductors don't
90 through the trains between these two
stations, as they don't make any stops
and fellow has chance to stea
through; but this time L was caught.
knew I'd be put Off right in the center
of the Allegheny mountains, and the
thought of it chilled me. The night was
dark-So dark that you couldn't see your
thinking l could hide myself; but that
was out of the question. l was standing
on the last step and happened to look
around the corner of the car. The win
dow next to where | stood was open, and
hit bold plan. Whew! it makes me
Shiver to think of it, and | never want
to go through the likes again, not for all
the railroads in the United States.
Well when | saw the conductor come
from the other end of the car | swung
around to the side caught hold of the
window sash, and hung there. Just
then the conductor opened the door, ex-
felt for me in the darkness, | suppose,
but he never dreamt to look for me on
the side of car. He went on into the
next car. My arms were growing tired,
and was glad to get back on the plat
form again. To my great horror, how
ever, l couldn't reach the steps again.
Terror seized me. | knew | couldn't
hold on another minute. | would have
to drop and be mangled under the wheels
yelled as loud as could; but that was
useless, no one could hear.
81 thought was lost and made up my
mind to that when l heard the whistle
of train on the other track. could
hear her come laundering along. If
dropped then / knew l would fall on the
track on which the west-bound train was
to pass and be ground to pieces. l held
on like grim death. The glare of the
headlight ShOne upon me. | felt the
strong currnnt of air from the passing
train, / also felt my grasp relaxing, and
that was the last | knew. [ had dropped
right between the two trains between
the two tracks and never was touched.
The engineer of the weSt-bOund train
had noticed me by the light aft the loco
motive clinging to my perilOus position,
and saw me drop. He ran back for me,
picked me up and brought me to Johns
town again. 1t was miracle, of course,
| escaped death. I've been on top of
cars nearly frozen, rode along for go
miles on truck of car, but never had
such rough experience before and
never want to again.
''And say, young man, he continued,
''if you ever go travelling like me, avoid
steamships. | went as a StOwaway one
time, and I'll tell you what happened.
After three days out at sea l was dis
covered. The captain said to me:
Young man, you will have to go to work.
To- s,n4r, To ,,,E 20,
days. At the end of that time we reached
port, and instead of being allowed to
land was placed in irons and left there
until we left, when / was liberated and
set to work again all the way to New
York, where they allowed me to go. [
never went to sea again. Railroads are
good enough for me-"